The Dickinson press., 1887-05-14
THE MooNsHlNERs' ANCESTORS.
A Speculation Upon tho Origin of the
Rude MOuutainccrs

A Speculation Upon tho Origin of tho
Rude NIountainccrs.
Tho origin of tho mountainccrs that in
habit tho ranges from Virginia to Arkansas
isa subject that might tempt the curiosity of
n serious historian. The vestiges Of the carly
population, and of some of the singular cpl
sodic inroads TINT accompanied the steady
flow of Ems ish colonization, are still plainly
pcrceptiblc. From the scnli-tlucal plantations
nf the kings favoritcs in Virginia and tho
Caroinas many of those unfortunate or
criminal wrctchcs who We're transported from
the mother country to he penal slaves in tho
fields "f hcartlcss. and mostly absentee mas
tcra, escaped into the refuge of the noun
ti,ins, and. animated by n dcspnring hope of
freedom, sought the most inaccessible hiding
places.
To the escaped convict, trembling under
the remembrance of Il masters lash and will
ins to dare nny native danger to escape tho
slavery he had fcl tho approach of another
refugee wns rs full of terror us of comfort.
The ruuaway f,lon could trust nobody; OF.
perhaps, lie had /. brand upon his forehead to
hide from curious eyes, and wherever he ma,lo
his home ii was kept remote from ncighbOr-
Ship, and made as uninviting us possible to
adventurous OF suspicious eyes. There is
little doubt that among the first settlers of
the mountains were these British convirts
sold int slavery to the American plantations,
and condemned to u life of laborous scrvi-
tulc, which they only escaped by such hard
ships as could tempt no free man. Tho FREQ
pioneer and the woodsnlan pushed on across
the mountains; or through the passes and
cleared for himself an empire and garden in
fertile Kentucky and middle Tennessee, or
sought the softer air and cotton lands of the
Southern states. The escaped convict was
afraid TO venture in either direction, lest he
should rush into the hands of former master
or oveisccr, who would identify and rc-enslave
him.
So, with that last instinct for personal free
dom that has always possessed the Caucasian
race in every land, he cung to the mountains
of his refuge, secure in his solitude and get
ting his pcaco in the imprcgnnlility of his re-
treat. 1t was, perhaps, an inherited instinct,
therefore, that made the mountainous hate
negro slavery as bitter MS the most determined
aboitionsts of the north and which led them
by force of fate to Join the Union armies
when the civil war came on. The mountain
regions not only furnished the northern armies
thousands of soldiers but also maintained
warm sympathy for the cause in the rear and
front of the Union lines, and it is not singl-
lar, perhaps, that they have continued in
sympathy with tho Republican party US in
stinctively as has the cmancipated ncgro.-Y.
T. Allison in Southern Bivouuc.
Consumption Cured by n Car Platform.
"You see this car platforms" inquired one
passenger Of another on IN Illinois Central
suburban train. "Well, that platform cured
mo of consumption and saved my life. You
think that's strange, don't you' Well, it is a
little strange, but it's n fact. You SEQ, como
of a consumptivc family. My mother died of
consumption, q sister and two brothers, and
year ago expected to go in the same way
Don't look like it now, do 1. Well, ,'all thanks
nre due to this platform. 1t was in this way:
As soon as saw that / was going down I
made up my mind to take some desperate
means of salvation. | wasn't financially able
to go to California, or to travel anywhere
except to and from my work. So ! did the
next best thing. Every morning in riding
drawing long breanls, filled my lungs full of
the fresh air from the lake.
"At first l couldn't inhalc much, but by
and by my lungs gathered strength, rospira-
tory cells that had long been unused began to
ol'tii ann tha'iiV i''Iu!eH > III" Sl'lhb oxygen,
and in n few months was surprised at my
own strength and good health, as We're my
friends. Four times day-for rode homo
to dinner and back again-I stood on the
platform and inhaled as much of the air as
possible. The weather made no difference t.
me-rain, cold, snow, blizzard-for more thnl
year haven't sat down in railway coach
No" can draw a longer inhalation than any
man know, and long inhalation simply
means filling with air all of the cells of the
lungs. bringing the whole system into service,
as it werc--and l have no more fear of con
sumption. People who work indoors, ant.
who never, under ordinary circumstances.
get their lungs moro than half filled with air
had better try my prescription. 1t is n Won
der."-Chicago Herald.
ct if,I I,in1y